Switch-rail-controlling device.



T. PENNNGTON, Sn.

SWITCH RAIL CONTRGLLING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED IIIIIE 8, 1915.

1,200,865, Pamed 001. 10,1916.

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WITNESSES M INVENTOR M 1 By WITNESSES T. PENNINGTON, Sn.

SWITCH RAIL CONTROLLING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED )UNE 8. 19l5..

Patented Got. 10, 1916.

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UNVEED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS PENNINGTON, SR., OE WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE- FOURTH TO WILLIAM PENNINGTON, ONE-FOURTH TO THOMAS PENNINGTON, JR., AND ONE-FOURTH TO JESSE TRULL, ALL OF WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA.

SWITCH-RAIL-CONTROLLING DEVICE.

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Application led June 8, 1915.

To all whom t 'may conce/M1,

Be it known that I, THoMas PENNING- TON, Sr., of the city of Winnipeg, in the Province of Manitoba, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Rail-Controlling Devices, of which the following is the specification.

The invention relates to improvements in switch rail controlling devices and the object of the invention is to provide a simple attachment insertible between the car tracks and connected to the switch point and arranged to be actuated to move the switch point by an operating member on a car running on the tracks, such device being constructed so that an attendant in the car can take the switch or continue on the main line as he chooses, by manipulating the operating member and without leaving or stopping the car.

A further object of the invention is to construct a device embodying the above features in an inexpensive, durable and effective way and one which, when installed, can be positively relied upon in its operation.

With the above objects in view the invention consists essentially in a box inserted between the tracks at the switch and carrying a shiftable pin connected to the switch rail and containing a pulling cable indirectly7 connected with the pin and a depressible shank projecting above the track surface and engaging the cable and an operating element suspended from the underside of the car controlled by the attendant of the car and arranged, when operated, to engage with and depress the shank, the parts being arranged and constructed as hereinafter more particularly described Vand later pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which;

Figure 1 represents a plan view of my invention as it appears installed in the track and on the car. Fig. 2 represents a front view of the parts appearing in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a detailed side view of the actuating parts as they appear on the car in the raised position. Fig. 4 represents an enlarged detailed side view of the front end of the parts shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents a plan view of the box inserted between the tracks and contained parts, the

Specification of Letters Patent.

atentedct. 10, 1916.

serial No. 32,901'.

cover being removed. Fig. 6 represents a vertical cross sectional view through the box. Fig. 7 represents a longitudinal sectional view through the box. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detailed vertical sectional view through the upper end of the shank.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts ineach ligure.

1 and 2 represent the main rails of the track, 3 and 4 the switch rails and 5 the switch point, said point being pivoted on a pin 6 in the usual manner and being arranged such that when swung away from the switch rail 4 a passing car will be directed onto the switch rail, and when swung toward the rail 4 a passing car will be kept on the main track. The above parts are all of ordinary construction and the details thereof are not herein enlarged upon.

7 represents a car, preferably a street car, presenting the front trucks 8 mounted on the rails and a front vestibule as indicated at 9 in which vestibule the attendant, customarily called the motorman, is located.

10 represents a box or casing having a removable top 11. This box is inserted in the track and has one end projecting beneath the point of the switch rail 5 and beneath the rail 4. lVithin the box l have located the following parts:

12 representsv a bent lever pivotally secured by a pin 13 to the underside of the boxV cover and having the arm 12 thereof provided with an upstanding stud 14 which projects through a suitable slot 15 provided in the boxv cover and passes into an opening located in the point of the rail, this pin actually connecting the bent lever with the switch rail. n

16 is a spiral spring inserted between the arm 12-iof the bent lever and a permanent eye 17 located in the end of the box.

18 is a cable or other flexible connection secured to the arm 122 of the bent lever at one end and to an eye 19 at the other end, the eye being located at the inner end of the box. This cable passes over a pulley 2O carried by a suitable bracket 21 and fastened to the box cover.

22 is a shank slidably mounted in the box cover and projecting above and beneath the saine, the lower end of the shank being forked and carrying a pivoted roller or pulley 23 which rides continuously on the cable in a location between the pulley 2O and the eye 19. The upper end of the shank is provided with a suitable socket which receives a ball 24, such ball having a location more or less intermediate between the tracks. By this arrangement it will be seen that by depressing the shank one causes the outer end of the cable to pull the bell crank against the action of the spring 16 and accordingly effect the shifting of the switch rail point over toward the rail L1.

In order to depress the shank, I equip the car with a shoe 25, running more or less full length of the car body, and suspended from the underside thereof and in a central location by a pair of equal length swinging arms 26j and 27 pivotally connected both to the ear body and to the shoe as indicated at 28 and 29. This shoe has the body portion thereof horizontal and the ends upturned as shown at 25 and 252 and it is controlled in this position by an operating lever 30 which projects upwardly into the vestibule through an opening provided at 31, in the car floor.

The lever is connected pivotally at 32 to the front arm 26 and is mounted pivotally on a fulcrum pin 33 extending from a bracket 34 secured to the underside of the car. Obviously, one can, by pulling the upper end of the lever backwardly, cause the arm to swing forwardly from the normal position shown in the drawings and effect the lowering of the shoe so that as the car is passing the switch it can be brought into a position such that it will engage with the ball carried by the shank.

In order to retain the lever in either the up or down position, I supply a catch plate 35, in the floor of the car, fitted with front and rear side notches 36 and 37, designed to receive the lever in either the forward or back position.

To better understand the invention, I will describe its operation assuming the parts in the positions shown in the drawings and the car advancing toward the switch and also assuming that the motorman wishes to remain on the main line tracks. As he approaches the switch he pulls the lever backwardly to drop the shoe. The result is that as the car passes the ball 24:, the shoe hits the ball and depresses it and thereby draws the cable to throw the switch point over against the rail I. As the shoe is practically the length of the car, the switch point will te held over against the rail I until the car has passed. However, immediately the shoe clears the ball, the spring 16 operates to return the switch point to its initial position for other cars.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a pivoted switch rail located at the juncture of the main and switch rails, of a box, a shiftable shank exposed between the track rails and projecting into the box, a pivotally mounted bentA lever contained within the box and connected with the switch point, a flexible connection between the bent level' and the end of the box, said connection passing beneath the shank and being arranged to actuate the bell crank upon the depression of the shank.

In a device of the class described, the combination with a pivoted switch rail located at the juncture of the main and switch rails, of a box, a shiftable shank exposed between the track rails and projecting into the box, a pivotally mounted bent lever contained within the box and having one of the arms thereof connected with the switch rail point, a cable connecting the other arm of the bent lever with one end of the box and a pulley located at the lower end of the shank and riding on the cable.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pivoted switch rail located at the juncture of the main and switch rails, of a box, a shiftable shank exposed between the track rails and projecting into the box, a pivotally mounted bent lever con` tained within the box and having one of the arms thereof connected with the switch rail point, a cable connecting the other arm of the bent lever with one end of the box, a pulley located at the lower end of the shank and riding on the cable and a spring connecting the latter end of the bell crank with the other end of the box.

ligned at lVinnipeg, May, 1915.

THOMAS PENNINGTON, SENIOR.

In the presence of- S. SnLvEnT, ROLAND FOSTER.

this 11th day of Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

